The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-08-28
CHAPTER III.

CHAPTER H.
When have finished this, the second of
my letters, / sit for a long time in a kind of
reverie, gazing into the fire before me. 1t
reddens and sparsles, and the Goals drop
from beneath the bars and change their
shapes-then brighten afresh while from
out their glowing depths picture after pic
ture passes before me-
| see a girlish face with calm and stead
fast eyes-blue eyes-how very blue and
tenderl see girlish figure full of care
less grace, and a ripple of girlish laughter
falls once more on my ears. L see luxuri-
Gus home in which there are no jarring ele
ments, and a strong man full of the energy
and fire of youth. see beautiful woman
with splendid eyes and proud, cold face
ah!-but how it darkens suddenly!-a few
faint fiickes and my fire has died out. |
rouse myself, put on more Goals, and take
out my third letter.
-, JAN, Z, 49,.
My Dear Jeffrey: That letter of yours
was not a ray of sunshine, but so many
condensed that it flooded our hearts for
many day. Your sympathy is delight
full, for am sure it is genuine. 1t is almost
worth having all the trouble to find that one
has such true friend.
No, jeffrey, we cannot let you help us.
llNiteu we no lOuSet uctd uclJ w . are NV
ing quite handsomely now, in our way. My
brother has seemed better of late, so much
better that have driven away those horrid
fears. Josie is with us, too, for week, and
we are almost too happy in our great and
perfect Joy at being together. Our dear
brother is nearly always cheerful now, but
that weary look has never left his eyes.
Something strange happened to-day!
Josie and | took long walk that reminded
us bitterly of those we used to take at
home. Standing in the glow of the setting
great, dreamy, wonderful eyes of the same
color, with her white face and beautiful
Grecian head, made such picture that
cried out:
"Josiel you were never made for such a
life as this! You look like one into whose
life something beautiful must come-and 1
know it willr'
She smiled, while rich glow spread over
her face, and a tender light came into her
eyes. And then she told me secret JEFF
frey, which you can easily guess, but which
| must not tell you, of course. 1t makes me
feel lonely to think of losing my bright sis
ter, and yet she looks so happy when she
speaks of it, that cannot help feeling glad
for her.
For myself, am kind of hereto to the
faith that "It's love, love, love, that makes
the world go round" 1t must be that my
heart is colder than other girls. ] cannot
hefp it, and have no time for such things
now.
A few days ago our physician, DIR.
Hawks, asked me to marry him. tried to
believe that the gratitude feel to him was
love; tried really hard because ] knew it
would please my brother who admires him
greatly l took whole day and night to
think it over and then | told him was not
fit for anybody's wife. He looked so sor-
rowful that his face has haunted me ever
since wish did care for him. He has
a great warm heart that would shelter any
reasonable woman-how tenderly l feel
whenever he speaks TO me.
Sometimes half envy Josie, but it is not
because, God has made her so beautiful 1t
is her capacity for loving that | want; her
wonderfully elastic and happy-hearted ma
tIlre, that can rebound from any shock:
while plod on, with nothing much in my
heart but its one absorbing passion-my
great love for my brother. 1t leaves no
room for any other. Do you remember the
Craigs' 1t seems that, of all our old friends,
they only have remembered us. They made
inquiries until they found out where we had
hidden ourselves, and one day last week
they surprised us by visit l am afraid
they were not very welcome | know it
only saddened my brother, and / could not
bear that they should see how poor we are
Everard was with his mother, and gave me
a provoking look as / was passing out that
brought back the days at school, when |
hated him so cordially. He is handsomer
than ever, yet when he looks at me in that
way positively hate him. He honored me
by saving, as we stood ON the last step of
the rickety staircase, while Mrs. Craig was
tenderly taking leave of Josie, that if
would reconsider the answer | gave him
years ago he would prove himself worthy
of NV trust, etc. ] was almost touched by
the earlestness of his face. Perhaps he
meant what he said, but the mans egotism
would kill me- AS was about to reply, a
dirty market boy, with basket Of beef,
came TO my relief.
"Fine young calf Very best in mar
ket! ~ he sang out, and / yielded to an I'M
comfortable desire to laugh.
o. the amazement of the look he gave
me-! That ], in that dismal place, in his
and his mothers presence, and in the face Of
such a weighty proposal-could Taught He
was too full for words, and so passed on.
But my laugh lid good in another direction.
II helped his mother to realize that we did
not sit in tears, bewaillng our fate from
day TO day as she had evidently imagined.
"You dear, brave girl" she said, as she
kissed me good-by, and her words had a
pleasant sound, Show little your troubles
have changed you. You will not let us help
you. but there are better days in store for
your God will surely bless such devotionp
A few days later | received letter from
Everard which | answered without q mo-
ment's delay. / wonder why he cares for
me! stood before the cracked glass in my
bedroom this morning for full five min
utes, and made nete OF all my good points.
Once you said to me in my childhood, in a
,.ast ,adasDondino xyav.
''You rever will be handsome, Bess, but
you viii be good, 1 know
As if that could comfort me! You did
not know what a wound your well-meaning
words gave You did not realize how hard
it is TO be told that one is positively. hope
lessly plain. Well, | am not quite that now.
As said, made note Of my good points.
saw no beauty in the face before me, but
good eyes and teeth--cyes that like.
though they arc my own, and teeth that are
simply faultless Ahl what nonsense | am
writinC--wlilc the sad. tender words Of my